Authority fails
The goblins were fast. Far faster than the slime. Il-seong had noticed with the first one, but the second was worse.
Like a damn eel.
Every time he launched an attack, the monster darted back with ease. A nasty, gurgling laugh mocked his feeble attempts. His injured shoulder didn't help. Despite the boots' boost, he was slowing down. His vision blurred. His throat burned.
I'm having an asthma attack!
Panic gripped him.
His focus shattered. Dodging the goblin's ferocious strikes became harder with every passing second. He was only saved by brief moments where the creature froze mid-charge.
It wasn't luck.
It was Si-woo, silently commanding Dragon to halt just before landing the blow. He stared so hard at the screen his eyes started to sting. He blinked rapidly, but the burning didn't fade. Sleep deprivation gnawed at him — and then the interface chimed in:
[Alert! Fatigue level has reached a critical threshold.]
Your authority over goblins is weakening.
— As if the situation wasn't shitty enough!
Meanwhile, Si-woo had ordered an entire pack of sodas — not that it helped. The caffeine only made him more irritable.
Sensing his mental chain weakening, Dragon doubled down on his assault. His shriveled little body moved with renewed fury, his dagger slashing mercilessly toward a collapsing Il-seong.
Out of options, Si-woo finally unlocked the Master Catalog — previously sealed off until he had at least one mana point. He clicked the search bar and typed frantically:
Goblin Authority E
Bingo.
[Skill: Dungeon Master – Enhances authority over E-rank monsters]
Cost: 1 mana point
Upgrade cost: 10 mana points
No hesitation. Si-woo bought it on the spot, leaned in toward his screen, and shouted with all the strength he had left:
— STOP!!!
Dragon froze mid-air, as if struck by lightning. He was just about to finish Il-seong off, but the magical collar tightened around his throat with a sharp snap.
His eyes burned with hatred as he turned toward the player cowering in the corner.
Il-seong, barely conscious, pulled out his inhaler and kept his gaze locked on his motionless opponent, ready to react the moment it moved again.
One deep breath. Then another.
Color returned to his face.
Si-woo let out a breath of relief.
His tiny mana sacrifice had paid off.
Taking advantage of the precious pause, Il-seong rummaged through his pockets and checked his loot for anything helpful before the monster recovered.
The weapon upgrade allowed him to either enhance his current weapon or swap it out for a stronger one.
The options?
Crossbow. Mace. Halberd.
Il-seong groaned.
— I can't use any of this junk! Got anything more modern?
The list didn't change.
With a sigh, he chose to enhance his current weapon instead. His wooden staff morphed into a sturdier, sleeker version.
[Wooden Staff] → [Training Staff]
+2 Attack
+2 Speed
Lightweight bonus
The grip was better, easing the strain on his injured shoulder. He then upgraded his [Monster Hunter] badge.
+20% Endurance
+30% Physical Ability
[Hunting] Skill Level 2 Unlocked:
Temporarily doubles badge stats for 20 seconds during combat.
A wave of strength coursed through him.
Lighter. Faster. Stronger.
Il-seong stood up again, and Si-woo released his control over the goblin.
— Your turn, champ!
Il-seong didn't disappoint.
He lunged at the goblin with surprising speed.
Dragon dodged, parried, tried to escape — but the tide had turned. This time, he was the one cornered.
With grim satisfaction, Il-seong drove the staff into the creature's torso, splitting him clean in half.
Green confetti scattered across the floor, followed by coins, potions, and a shiny new weapon upgrade.
[Training Staff] → [Samurai Staff]
+5 Attack
+5 Durability
Il-seong gulped down one of the potions, and his wounds healed instantly.
High on victory, he didn't even bother to check the rest of the dungeon. He went straight for the exit.
— Guess I should go back for my stuff…
Si-woo laughed — but something felt… off.
He was annoyed.
Annoyed that Il-seong didn't even explore the dungeon, didn't care about the puzzles he'd spent all night designing.
Il-seong wanted this over with. It just wasn't fun anymore.
— Winning's fun. Being weak? Not so much, he muttered.
He dreamed of the day when he'd be overpowered — when nothing could lay a finger on him.
But for now? Getting beat up by low-rank mobs pissed him off to no end.
In the throne room, the goblin shaman Yoh ignored him entirely.
Il-seong, suspicious, approached slowly, staff at the ready.
The shaman was drawing something on the floor… with his own blood.
A circle. Strange markings.
Si-woo, just as intrigued, pulled up the interface.
That could only mean trouble.
Si-woo narrowed his eyes and shouted:
— Stop drawing and follow my orders!
[Alert! Fatigue level has reached critical threshold.]
Your authority over Goblin Shaman has been revoked.
You've got to be kidding me !
Si-woo growled.
The system clearly had a side.
And it wasn't his.
Just as he reopened the catalog, a blinding flash of magic rippled through his screen.
[Alert! Summoning in progress.]
— No no no—!
A black cloud billowed from the center of the blood circle.
The goblin shaman chanted in a guttural language, the air thickening with the stench of decay.
The stench became physical, gnawing at the edges of the room like acid.
Il-seong, terrified, ducked behind a jagged pillar.
Then it came.
A massive beast emerged from the fog.
Its head nearly touched the ceiling. Its frame was like three warthogs stitched together.
Pale green skin stretched over bulging muscles covered in pus-filled sores.
A rusty black iron ring was nailed into its skull.
The ground cracked beneath its squat, powerful feet.
— This is the boss?!
Il-seong's legs gave out.
He hugged the stone wall like it might swallow him up.
The monster sniffed the air.
Yoh, the goblin shaman, knelt in worship.
Ignoring its summoner, the beast turned its head — at an unnatural angle — and locked its glassy eyes straight onto Il-seong's hiding spot.
[Goblin Shaman Yoh – E-Rank Boss – has summoned Goblin King – D-Rank Boss]
Note to self : NEVER trust a goblin shaman again !
Even if the apocalypse is breaking loose. And judging by the current mess… it's not far off.